In two minds advice needed please

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micbrew

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Having only brewed a few k&ks , I know I want to move to biab !!

but im overwhelmed with the options available to me ,

Im thinking an electric urn may be the go considering my environment and gas seems a little messy
but im not locked into electric

ive looked at a few set ups and honestly ... im still a little confused

was looking to convert a keg as I already have it ... and or a chinese pot ( looks heaps cleaner ) and or an birko urn or equivalent
please point me in the right direction

I only want to do this once

space and dollars will determine my budget etc etc

thanks mick
 
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/72841-thanks-first-ag-success-ag-is-easy/#entry1043583

Here's a thread with a couple of methods - the OP used a combination to come up with his jump to AG.

Personally, I like the 2 pot stovetop method - costs me about $60 to set up. I'm happy enough with it, but it's pretty ghetto.

I know you've looked into a couple of methods, so bring it down to:

*How do I want to mash (esky, urn as a 1 vessel system, etc)
*How do I want to extract the water from the mash when it's finished (drain bag, or ghetto lauter, etc)
*How do I want to boil the resulting wort (keggle, 60L pot on turkey burner, pot on stove, urn)


With reference to your cost/space issue.
 
You're going to get so many responses saying "I use...", so I'll start. I've been using a 50L stock pot and 3 ring burner for about 6 - 8 months now (BIAB), and it couldn't be simpler. The largest batch I've managed with this setup has been 25L, and that was pushing the limits, but that's all I need. Cost is 2/3 of **** all and takes up next to no space.

Anyway that's me. :)
 
wbosher said:
You're going to get so many responses saying "I use...", so I'll start. I've been using a 50L stock pot and 3 ring burner for about 6 - 8 months now (BIAB), and it couldn't be simpler. The largest batch I've managed with this setup has been 25L, and that was pushing the limits, but that's all I need. Cost is 2/3 of **** all and takes up next to no space.

Anyway that's me. :)
What he said but in a 50L keg.
 
Whereabouts are you located?

It would certainly help you to have a look in on a brewday with a fellow brewer. Also, many of your initial questions would be answered, and help you to make a more informed decision.

I brew 3V, but one of my good compadres, BribieG, brews BIAB with a Birko (or close equivalent) and No Chills, and he gets through his brew process a lot quicker than I do.
From what I've seen, the electric urn has a lot going for it. For one, it saves getting refills of gas bottles like I need to do every so often. Electric is probably also more economical than gas.
 
Cheers warra , and OP

The advantage of an urn is, although it's around $260 to set up, it's a "turn key" brewery out of the box. All you need is some Swiss voile material for a bag or sheet, and a big stirring spoon if you have one.

Thermometer is also essential. As a current brewer you have everything else you will need.

However there are cheaper options for sure. However I've done over 200 brews with a Birko urn and later a Crown urn, so the original cost very quickly boils down (literally) to a couple of cents a glass component.

If you put your location in the side bar, someone will be able to recommend someone you can sit in with on a brew day, I'm sure.
 
Biab in a urn is easy as. I have been brewing that way now for 10 months, Each time I brew I improve my process. But it can be as easy as heat to strike and mash it in. Lift your grain and boil. For under $500 you can buy all the gear (new) you need. Including grain mill. Jump in you will love it.

Cheers
 
I'm with Bribie G on the urn.

I use a 40 crown for BIAB and couldn't be happier. It knocks out 20L batches, sometimes bigger, without any issues.

I tend to fill it with water before I go to bed and, using a cheap Kmart timer, set it to turn on about an hour before I get out of bed. It's then ready for me to mash in when I get up. Cuts about an hour off brew day.

Couldn't be easier.
 
+1 for the urn. I started off with this also. But if you don't want to fork out the funds for a new urn and can't find one second hand consider installing an element into the keg.
An uxcel element is only around $10.00

Then later you can use a cake stand to hold the bag off the element for step mashing. Then later still when the bug really hits you can get an urn for a kettle and use the keg as a HLT and add an Eski for a mash tun.

And trust me, that's what will happen.

If your in Melbourne SE burbs I'm happy to help you install an element into a keg and wire it up. I've done 3 now and they work fine.
 
I use a 40 litre Crown urn doing BIAB, regularly pump out 24-26 litre batches on it. Very happy with the results I'm getting and such a simple process for brewing beer from scratch. I'm sure 3V isn't much more complicated but space constraints and the fact I'm happy with what I'm getting from BIAB in an urn .. I can't see myself bothering any time soon. Wouldn't mind a kegging setup though, but again - space. :unsure:
 
I started doing biab with a 3 ring gas burner from bunnings and a 50 litre alloy pot from a commercial kitchen shop (ask for a trade discount tell them your a chef from a local restaurant). cost around $79 for the burner and $90 for the alloy pot plus $30 for the 3 piece ball valve. Then as long as you've got a gas bottle at home all you need is a thermometer and a bag a no chill cube and 1 metre of silicon hose and you've got everything for your first biab brew.

Keep an eye out for second hand gear on the forum too you can get some great deals.
 
thanks for the advise so far !



what are the differences in time (boiling ) & effiecncies between gas and electric ... getting up to strike temp etc etc

as I will be brewing indoors , I thought an electric setup may be a safer solution

but I might be able to get my hands on crab cooker ... but could try and modify it for electrickety

and yeah I , I will be attending a brewday / swap ...soonish
 
if your brewing indoors go electric, gas burners can't be used inside unless its a stove or something along the lines
 
Be careful boiling indoors. The first time I did it (birko) i was constantly wiping condensation off the roof. Its gets very muggy in a confined space. Now when I have to brew inside due to weather, it happens in the bathroom under the extractor fan and this still isn't ideal.

BIRKO FTW!!

Here's the link to my 'First BIAB' post
 
40L Al pot off ebay - $60
4 ring gas burner - $90
Grain Bag from CB - $25

Look on missus face when there's no gas left in the bottle for a kids BBQ - priceless
 
I've recently begun BIAB in a 40l Crown urn and when the weekend comes around I just wanna mash them grains, I love it.

The costs don't stop at the purchase of your urn though, for me it was just the beginning and it still continues.

Grain Mill, 3 / 60l grain storage drums, 3 / 25kg bags of grain (bulk buy), grain bag, hop bag, digital thermometre, refractometre, 4 / cubes, 2 / books, liquid yeasts, stir plate, 2 / Erlenmeyer flasks, ship loads of hops, spec grains, custom built lifting tripod (for lifting grain bag out of urn), etc, etc.

How good is my beer now?

I don't know, it's either in one of my 3 fermenters or the wort is in one of my 4 cubes. If it tastes like shite I can't blame the equipment but I think it will taste ok.
 
ok ... ive made the decision to go with the urn , due to ease , space and time constraints etc etc

so will begin aquiring these little gems over the next few weeks , may be earlier as im running out beer

thanks for the wisdom and thoughts of others on this ... :beerbang:


mick
 
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